Ayer CPC Unanimously Approves Three Town Meeting Articles Worth $339,000

AYER -- April 1, 2026, Ayer's Community Preservation Committee approved three Town Meeting warrant articles totaling more than $339,000 at its April 1 Zoom meeting. The committee voted 5-0 on each article, approving Article 23, which sets annual fund disbursements based on a projected FY2027 surcharge yield of $813,375.96 and an anticipated state match of $225,864; Article 24, directing $212,000 to rental assistance and the Affordable Housing Trust; and Article 25, allocating $25,000 from the historic preservation fund for an HVAC unit at the Sandy Pond Schoolhouse. Member Jess raised concern that the standard 10 percent replenishment of approximately $102,667 into the community housing fund may be insufficient given that the $212,000 withdrawal will leave the fund balance at roughly $25,000, noting "given the regularity now of the rental assistance program, it seems to me it would just make sense to up it a little bit", but the committee left the articles unchanged, citing the availability of undesignated reserves in future cycles. All three articles go to the Select Board on April 7.